Overview
The All Aboard Reading series features stories that capture beginning readers' imagination while developing their vocabulary and reading comprehension. The Picture Readers, appropriate for preschoolers, combine a very simple text with rebuses. Flash cards bound in the book help make the transition from the rebus to the printed word. As the levels progress, the stories get longer, and the print size gets smaller, preparing readers for longer books with chapters. All the books are illustrated in full color, and engage a child's curiosity with a range of topics from science to sports, history, and fantasy. Grades 1 - Grade 3.
Synopsis
Giant squid, sea cucumbers, and fish with huge jaws, sharp teeth, and lights on their bodies are among the unusual creatures that make the ocean floor their home. Beginning readers will get a glimpse of these fascinating animals (still only partially accessible to humans), along with a lesson on the ocean floor's geography and the methods scientists are using to explore the murky depths.
School Library Journal
Gr 1-3A basic introduction to the ocean depths. DeMuth begins with the strange monsters that early sailors believed to inhabit the ocean waters. She then highlights some of the unusual creatures that actually live there. The differences in water coloration and the use of submersibles and robots to explore areas where divers can not go are touched upon. In a few instances, the text borders on anthropomorphism and simplistic teleological explanations for events that occur. For example, "When a meal passes by, the fish are ready to grab it" and "The angler has dinner." Even though the information is interesting, the text is overly ambitious, trying to cover geographical formations, deep sea creatures, exploration, and the "rich metals" that can be found at the ocean bottom. Average-quality full-color illustrations provide clarification and contribute to the overall appeal. An adequate choice for primary-graders seeking nonfiction titles that they can read.Sharron McElmeel, Cedar Rapids Community Schools, IA